Thimble and bushing for barrels



(No Model.)

M. ANTHONY & W. G. SAVAGE. THIMBLB AND BUSHING FOR BARRELS. No. 468,144.

Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARK ANTHONY, OF BERKELEY, AND WILLIAM G. SAVAGE, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

THlMBLE AND BUSHING FOR B ARRELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,144, dated February 2, 1892.

Application filed April 16, 1891- Serial No. 389,205. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARK ANTHONY, residing at Berkeley, and WILLIAM C. SAVAGE, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thimbles and Bushings for Barrels; and we do hereby declare the following to be a f ull, clear, and exact description of said invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it most nearly appertains to n1ake,use, and practice the same.

Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in thimbles and bushings for beer-barrels or other liquid-containing receptacles, which consists in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth in the drawings, described and pointed out in the specification and claims.

Our invention consists, mainly, in providing a'thimble for attachment within the taphole of barrels free of internal screw-threads throughout, thereby presenting smooth free inner walls, thus allowing for the bushing fitting freely thereinand obviating liability of the former becoming clogged with dirt, pitch, or the like. l-leretofore it has been customary in some cases to screw the bushin g within the thimble, for which purpose it became necessary to screw-thread the bushing and internal walls, which not only prevented the liability of clogging, but also had a tendency to break or damage the threads, consequently making it difiicultto insert the bushing without recutting the screw-threads. The screw-threading of the parts also adds greatly to the expense of manufacture.

Our invention further consists in providing a simpler, less complicated, less expensive, easier, and more effective valve for the bushing than any heretofore known to us.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this application, wherein similar letters of referencedenote correspondingpart-s throughout the entire specification and drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view in elevation showing my improved thimble and bushing applied to the barrel; Fig. 9, a top plan of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail view of a modified form of bushing, partly broken away; Fig. 4.,

a detail sectional view of the valve shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a top plan view of the valve shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a top plan of the locking-nut for the bushing; Fig. 7, a sectional view taken on line mm, Fig. 6; and Fig. 8, a detail section of a modified form of the barrel-thimble.

The letter A indicates the wall of the barrel, and B the thimble secured therein. Said thimble is provided with the exterior screwthreaded stem adapted to screw into the walls of the tap-opening. The upper end of the thimble is made somewhat heavier and cut away or bored out interior-1y, so as to form grooves Z) I), which are oppositely inclined and intersected by the openings a a. The lower shoulder a projects slightly in advance of shoulder a and forms aseatupon which rests the annular shoulder c of bushing C when inserted within the thimble. In order, however, that a tight joint may be made between the annular bushing-shoulderand bushing-seat, we locate thereb'etween the packingring 0'. The pressure or tension upon the bushing is obtained through the medium of locknut C, which is provided with the projecting lugs (Z cl, which are adapted to pass through the openings a a, formed in the top of the thimble B. These lugs work within the grooves Z) Z) and are cast or out upon an incline, so that with the turning thereof within said grooves the nut will move downward and tightly press or cause the annular flange of the bushing to bear upon the annular packing. By the use of the lock-nut we are enabled to tightly secure the bushin g within the thimble, thus avoiding the necessity of threading the inner and outer surfaces of the thimble and bushing, respectively. By reason of the inclined grooves formed within the thimble-head and inclined shoulders or lugs of the lock-nut it is obvious that the farther said nut is turned or forced around within the head of the thimblo the tighter or harder becomes its bearing upon the bushing-flange. The inclined grooves may be cast directly within the thimble or turned after casting the same.

XVhile we have shown the screw-threaded thimble-stem as extending entirelythrough the wood of the barrel, it is obvious that the same need only go partially therethrough, or

may merely consist of the enlarged screwthreaded thimble, as shown in Fig. 8. This construction gives equally good results and saves material. In order to permit the ready turning of the lock-nut, we provide the openings e Within the top thereof, and by means of any suitable key provided with fingers adapted to fit therein are enabled to easily turn the same. The stem of the bushing is formed with smooth walls and fits between the inner walls of the thimble.

In Fig. 1 we have shown a bridge E in the lower end of the bushing-stem, which is provided with the central screw-threaded opening 6', and within which works the screwthreaded stem 6 of Valve E. Within the bridge-wall we form the exit-ports f, through which the liquid flows when the valve is opened. The upper portion-of the bushing is provided with the raised annular projection f and inclined grooves f, through which passes and works the faucet set forth and described in Letters Patent No. 339, 252, granted Mark Anthony on the 6th day of April, 1886. As set forth in said patent, the lower end of the faucet-key is formed triangular and fits upon the triangular valve-stem. As the faucet is screwed downward within the bushing, the Valve is opened by turning inward, While the same is closed by screwing the faucet upward in order to remove the same from within the bushing. When the valve is opened, the liquid flows between the inner or upper face thereof and the end of the bushing through the passage-ways or ports f and through the faucet-openings. Inasmuch as the faucet or key used is the same as that set forth in the aforesaid-Letters Patent, we have not shown the same herein.

Fig. 3 shows the valve-stem as being screwthreaded and working similarly to that shown in Fig. 1 by working up or down Within the screw-threaded end of the bushing in order to open or close the valve. Within the sides of the valve when thus constructed we form the inlet-ports h and exit-ports 72. in the top thereof.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure protection in by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

1. The combination of a thimble having an exteriorly-threaded stem, the interior surface of said stem being smooth throughout and the enlarged outer end or head of the thimble provided with an inner annular shoulder and with grooves, said grooves intersected at diametrically-opposite points by openings, a bushing having its exterior surface smooth to register with the smooth bore of the thimble, said bushing provided at its outer end with an annular outwardly extending flange adapted to rest on the corresponding shoulder of the thimble, and a locking-nut provided at diametrically-opposite points with oppositely-inclined lugs fitting the intersecting openings of the thimble and passing into the grooves thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a thimble provided with an interior annular shoulder, a bushing fitting in said thimble with grooves therein, said grooves intersected at diametrically-opposite points by openings and provided at oneextremity with an annular outwardly-extending flange resting'upon the shoulder of the thimble and formed at its opposite or inner extremity with interior screw-threads, a packing intermediate the shoulder of the thimble and the annular fiange'of the bush ing, a locking-nut provided with oppositelyinclined lugs registering with the openings of the thimble and passing into the grooves thereof, and a valve fitting the valve-seat of the bushing and provided with a threaded stem fitting the threaded inner end of the bushing and with a triangular extension to receive the faucet, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a thimble provided with an interior annular shoulder and grooves therein, said grooves intersected at diametrically-opposite points by openings, a bushing fitting in said thimble and provided at one extremity with an annular outwardly-extending flange resting upon the shoulder ofthe thimble and provided at its opposite end with a transverse partition or bridge having a central screw-threaded opening and exit-openings therein, a locking-nut provided with oppositely-inclined lugs registering with the openings of the thimble and passing into the grooves thereof, and a valve working against the transverse partition or bridge and provided with a threaded stem passing through the central opening of said partition or bridge, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a barrel, of the faucet-bushing, said bushing having the inner screw-threaded end, and the valve provided with the screw-threaded stem, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

MARK ANTHONY. WILLIAM C. SAVAGE.

Vitnesses:

N. A. AoKER, OrIs V. SAWYER. 

